In order to drink a beverage or the like from a conventional cup, mug, tumbler or the like (hereinafter generally called "mug" for the sake of brevity), it is necessary to hold up the bottom of the cup, from which the user has been drinking the beverage while maintaining the cup in a forward-and-downward directed position such that the rear side of the cup is turned counterclockwise beyond the horizontal level into a forward-and-upward directed position. When the bottom of the mug is raised while keeping the user's mouth in contact with a rear portion of the upper edge of the mug, a front portion of the upper edge is eventually brought into contact with the nose ridge of the users hen the mug is brought into contact with the nose ridge of the user, the periphery of the mug will generally block the view of the user. The blocking of the view of the user's eyes can become disconcerting during conversation. The blocking of the user's eyes can potentially be hazardous during the driving of a motor vehicle. There are various other circumstances in which the person drinking from the mug will not want to have his or her eyes blocked by the periphery of the mug.
In the past various patents have issued relating to various drinking apparatus which accommodate the nose of the user. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,113, issued on Sep. 2, 1986 to N. Seki discloses a cup that permits the easy drinking of the liquid contents. The cylindrical side wall of the cup is composed of a thin-walled material having suitable degrees of flexibility and elasticity. There are a number of bellows-like corrugations that are provided in the cylindrical side wall in such a way that the corrugations extend substantially parallel with the bottom wall of the cup The corrugations are allowed to undergo collapse when the upper edge of the cup is brought into contact with the nose ridge of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,928, issued on Jun. 28, 1994 to B. A. Stevens describes a dysphagia cup. This cup serves to assist swallowing by having a hollow container portion with a base and an upwardly extending, elliptically-shaped side wall. The eliptical aperture is sized to accommodate a person's nasal bridge during drinking such that substantial backwards angulation of the head is not required.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,348, issued on Nov. 25, 1980 to L. E. Watson describes a drinking vessel for use while in a reclined position. This drinking vessel includes a spout that has a contoured lip with specially curved liquid-spill resistant side walls so as to facilitate improved spill resistance when the cup is brought to the user a lips.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,141, issued on Jul. 11, 1980 to R. G. Brockamn teaches a hiccough treatment appliance which includes a drinking vessel with a tongue-depressor portion adjacent the drinking portion for projecting into the mouth of the person drinking liquid from the appliance so as to depress the person's tongue while the liquid is being swallowed U.S. Pat. No. 2,069,089, issued on Jan. 26, 1937 and U.S. Design Pat. No. 168,784, issued on Feb. 10, 1953 teach feeding cups with outwardly extending lips for accommodating the mouth and nose bridge of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,671,326, issued on Mar. 9, 1954 to T. E. Pickering describes a drinking vessel with a mouth at its upper end offset laterally with respect to the bottom of the vessel. The drinking vessel facilitates the drinking from the vessel when it is difficult for a child to bend his or her head backwards.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a drinking mug which allows the user to see outwardly while drinking from the mug.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a drinking mug which allows the mug to be rotated fully against the nose bridge of the user during drinking activity.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a drinking mug which is adaptable to left-handed or right-handed usage.
It another object of the present invention to provide a drinking mug which facilitates safety during the drinking activities.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a drinking mug which is easy to manufacture, easy to use and relatively inexpensive.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.